April NHL game thread (regular season)

Ale Xander

Hamilton
SoSH Member
Oct 31, 2013
72,428
Wichusen (I think) just called Pitt’s 2nd goal in the 1st period an “insurance goal”

maybe that’s a joke on the Red Wings offense , not sure

but cmon, it’s the first period
 

durandal1707

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 18, 2007
6,131
Pittsburgh won earlier, Isles up 3-0 over the Flyers. Panthers are tied with the Caps 2-2 after 2.
 

durandal1707

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 18, 2007
6,131
Another day where the Wild Card situation in the East remains the same. Penguins, Panthers and Islanders all win. Two games left for each.

FLA (91 pts, 36 RW, 40 ROW): Toronto on Monday, Carolina on Thursday
NYI (91 pts, 35 RW, 40 ROW): @Washington on Monday, Montreal on Wednesday
PIT (90 pts, 31 RW, 39 ROW): Chicago on Tuesday, @Columbus on Thursday
 

DeadlySplitter

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 20, 2015
33,247
Of all of those, maybe Carolina is still playing hard for the top seed in their division? PIT has the tankers' schedule.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,528
The Island
Buffalo isn’t dead yet, but they need a ton of help AND run the table through a 4-in-5 (Mon-Tue-Thu-Fri) that goes @NYR, @NJD, OTT, @CBJ.
 

durandal1707

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 18, 2007
6,131
Of all of those, maybe Carolina is still playing hard for the top seed in their division? PIT has the tankers' schedule.
Toronto has first round home ice locked up now, but I can see them using the Panthers game as a playoff tuneup, especially since they have a game the following day against their first round opponent and I imagine they don't want to tip their hand to Tampa too much. Carolina may also take the opportunity to get into playoff gear even if they've got home ice on their side of the bracket locked up.

The Caps are without Ovechkin and Oshie currently. So while you're right that the Pens have no excuse to not get four points, I think the Islanders' road is similarly easy.

Buffalo isn’t dead yet, but they need a ton of help AND run the table through a 4-in-5 (Mon-Tue-Thu-Fri) that goes @NYR, @NJD, OTT, @CBJ.
Ton of help indeed. They can't catch NYI or FLA in regulation wins, so if those two hit 93 points it's curtains for the Sabres.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
Decent chance the EBUG plays. The Leafs have a meaningless (for them) 3 games in 4 nights to close the season, It is unclear if they can create enough space to get an AHL G up. Doubt they want Samsonov playing all 3 on the eve of the playoffs.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,528
The Island
A world in which the one goalie that could steal a series doesn’t even get a chance to do so is a good one for the Bruins.

And no, I don’t think Bobrovskiy is capable of that anymore.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
3-0 Caps now. Caps are also playing with only 17 skaters and no Ovechkin, Oshie, and others. Spectacular implosion from the Islanders in progress.

Panthers and Leafs are 0-0 in the 1st.
 

TSC

SoSH's Doug Neidermeyer
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2007
12,280
Between here and everywhere.
3-0 Caps now. Caps are also playing with only 17 skaters and no Ovechkin, Oshie, and others. Spectacular implosion from the Islanders in progress.

Panthers and Leafs are 0-0 in the 1st.
I went to the Caps/Isles game down here in DC last week that went into the SO.

Sure, Sorokin is good - but this Islanders team is kind of trash. The Bruins would have no problem beating them 4 times in a row 1-0 if Sorokin went into god mode.
 

durandal1707

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 18, 2007
6,131
Meanwhile for the Leafs, Samsonov may have just been injured by his own defenseman, or at least Brian Boucher thinks he tweaked something.

Buffalo up 1-0. Still alive!
 

TSC

SoSH's Doug Neidermeyer
SoSH Member
Oct 25, 2007
12,280
Between here and everywhere.
Last edited:

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,528
The Island
Out west, Winnipeg went down 1-0 early on a Karlsson goal, but got responses from Dubois, Lowry, and Connor. 3-1 with the third about to start. A Jets win puts some nails in the Flames’ and Preds’ coffins.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,528
The Island
Also, the Leafs are pissing off one of the hockey gods. Erik Gustafsson didn’t even make warm-up, and so far Jake McCabe has been MIA in the third and Matthews took a shot to the back of the knee.

All in a game that means everything for Florida and nothing for Toronto.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,528
The Island
John Tavares finishes a 2 1/2 minute shift in OT with a breakaway winner.

Meantime, we're underway in Calgary between the Flames and Preds. Loser eats it.
 

durandal1707

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 18, 2007
6,131
Seventeen loser points for Calgary? Holy moly. They're 3rd in xGF%. Gotta be a lot of questions for management there.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
The Flames kind of got PDO'd all year. Lowest shooting percentage in the league, 6th worst save percentage. Bad combo.

The game they lost to the Bruins outshooting us like 57-19 or whatever it was is basically what happened to them all year.